Macro-fungal (Agaricus bisporus) wastes as an adsorbent in the removal of the acid red 97 and crystal violet dyes from ideal colored effluents

The wastes from the macro-fungus Agaricus bisporus were used as an eco-friendly and low-cost adsorbent for the treatment of colored effluents containing the recalcitrant dyes, acid red 97 (AR97) and crystal violet (CV). The macro-fungal waste presented an amorphous structure, composed of particles with different sizes and shapes. Also, it presents typical functional chemical groups of proteins and carbohydrates with a point of zero charge of 4.6. The optimum conditions for the dosage were found to be as follows: 0.5 g L⁻¹ with an initial pH at 2.0 for the AR97 and 8.0 for the CV. From the kinetic test, it was found that it took 210 min and an adsorption capacity of 165 mg g⁻¹ for the AR97. Concerning the CV kinetics, it took 120 min to reach the equilibrium and it achieved an adsorption capacity of 165.9 mg g⁻¹. The Elovich model was the most proper model for describing the experimental data, achieving an R² ≥ 0.997 and MSE ≤ 36.98 (mg g⁻¹)². The isotherm curves were best represented by the Langmuir model, predicting maximum adsorption capacity of 372.69 and 228.74 mg g⁻¹ for the AR97 and CV, respectively. The process was spontaneous and favorable for both dyes. The ∆H⁰ values were 9.53 and 10.69 kJ mol⁻¹ for AR97 and CV, respectively, indicating physical and endothermic adsorption. Overall, the wastes from Agaricus bisporus have the potential to adsorb cationic and anionic dyes, thus solving environmental problems related to water quality and residue disposal.

     

Estimating the importance of natural and anthropogenic sources on N and P emission to estuaries along the Ceará State Coast NE Brazil

The Northeastern semi-arid Brazilian region is experiencing rapid social and economic development based on improving water management and even in areas of low human occupation, anthropogenic emissions of N and P surpass natural emissions in at least one order of magnitude and these additional loads can alter the water quality of the receiving estuaries. This study estimates, using an emission factor approach, the annual emissions of N and P from natural processes and anthropogenic sources for estuaries along the Ceará State, NE Brazil. Emission factors from natural sources are one to two orders of magnitude lower than those for anthropogenic sources. Among the anthropogenic activities, the aquaculture is responsible for most N emission (0.52 t km⁻² year⁻¹) followed by waste water and husbandry. For P, the largest average emission factors are from husbandry (0.30 t km⁻² year⁻¹), waste water and agriculture.     

Measurement of sustainability performance in Brazilian organizations

In recent years, sustainability issues are gaining greater prominence among organizations and their stakeholders around the world. This paper aims to verify the sustainability performance of Brazilian organizations in performance measures and to propose sustainable guidelines with the intention of directing future efforts to the transition to sustainable development. The research utilized a triangulated approach by collecting qualitative and quantitative data acquired through multiple collection methods of a theoretical literature review, documentary analysis of corporate reports, questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews with industry professionals and academic researchers. The results show that internal organizational factors are the main inductors of the sustainable environment in organizations, and sustainability must be tied to strategic planning, starting from upper management to lower levels. It is essential to use sustainable performance measurement systems in order to respond to external and internal levers and serve as benchmarking for future corporate operations and strategies. In addition, it is the responsibility of organizations to focus their efforts on environmental protection, reduction of energy, corporate reputation, quality management, customer satisfaction and investor relations, as they are considered to be more important and have a relationship of dependence on organizational sustainability. The findings will be of value to professionals and academics who want to start measuring and for continuously improving the sustainability performance of their organizations according to the technical, economic, environmental, social and governance dimensions. This research work also helps to understand the perceptions and expectations of stakeholders.     

Contamination Levels and Preliminary Assessment of the Technical Feasibility of Employing Natural Attenuation in 5 Priority Areas of Presidente Bernardes Refinery in Cubatão, São Paulo, Brazil

Five priority areas of potential impact by contaminants (API) were investigated at the Presidente Bernardes Refinery in Cubatão, São Paulo, Brazil with the following aims: (i) to identify both organic and inorganic contaminants present in soil and groundwater; (ii) to define the environmental conditions relevant for microbial activity at the site and (iii) to evaluate the feasibility of employing natural attenuation for treatment of the hydrocarbon contamination. One area (API 1) was an uncontrolled landfill, where waste materials from the refinery were deposited between 1954 and 1986, and four areas (API 4, 5, 7 and 11) were located in the operational section of the refinery. Soil contamination by regulated BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, total xylenes) was restricted to two samples from API 1. Nonregulated ethylbenzene was detected in one soil sample from API 4, one from API 5 and two from API 1. No soil contained regulated PAH above threshold levels. Several nonregulated PAHs were found in 6 soil samples from API 1, 3 soil samples from API 4 and 1 soil sample from API 5. Site soils contained very high aluminium concentrations, but metal contamination was restricted to one soil sample from API 1, which contained nickel above threshold limits. BTEX contamination of groundwater was due mostly to benzene. Of the 17 PAH molecules tested, only naphthalene and 2-methylnaphthalene occurred in groundwater. The sum of total BTEX and total PAH exceeded 200 μg/L in only a few monitoring wells in API 4, 5 and 11 and was always below 2.640 μg/L. Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Se, Ag, Tl and Zn were not detected in groundwater, which was contaminated in a few locations by aluminium (mostly below 1 mg/L), lead (<0.066 mg/L) and arsenic (<0.056 mg/L). S, K, Ca, Mg and Fe were present in groundwater in excess of physiological requirements for microbial growth, but low concentrations of N and P could become growth limiting. However, BTEX were efficiently degraded in saturated and unsaturated zone microcosms and nutrient amendments did not stimulate biodegradation rates measurably. The inorganic carbon pool in groundwater was up to one order of magnitude larger than the organic carbon pool. Total inorganic carbon (TIC) in API groundwater exceeded TIC of clean groundwater by factors of 2 (API 4), 6 (API 5, 7 and 11) or 10 (API 1). Most of the inorganic carbon incorporated into groundwater beneath the refinery originated from biodegradation in the unsaturated soil, which contained a microbiota (10⁶ cells/g on average) capable of growth with most of the pure (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene) and mixed hydrocarbons tested (diesel oil, gasoline, naphtha, condensate, aromatic residue and fuel oil). A viscous hydrocarbon paste uncovered in API 1 was insoluble in water but dissolved in dichloromethane. Many organic components of this paste were biodegradable as evidenced by weight reduction of the hydrocarbon paste and by the growth of suspended and attached biomass in saturated zone microcosms, where the paste was the only carbon source. This study indicates that monitored natural attenuation may be a technically feasible and efficient means for plume control in API 1, 4 and 5, provided the plumes in API 4 and 5 are not expanding. This technique is not suitable for contaminant reduction in API 11.     

Management of invasive populations of the freshwater crayfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Procambarus clarkii</Emphasis> (Decapoda,Cambaridae): test of a population-control method and proposal of a standard monitoring approach

Invasive species are one of the main threats to biodiversity. When an alien species is introduced into a new environment, fast identification and definition of management strategies may avoid or minimize impacts. When an invasive species is already established, the most adopted approaches are population control and monitoring. In order to perform such strategies, assessment of characteristics of the invasive population is imperative. This study tested a new method of population size estimation and monitoring in an invasive population of crayfish Procambarus clarkii in a conservation area in the Atlantic Rain Forest (Southeastern Brazil). The population dynamics was studied for 1 year to examine the efficacy of the selected method and to evaluate if the population is stable. Later, the effect of periodical removal of animals on the population size was tested. The method of population estimation used in this study proved to be very effective. We recommend using it to monitor invasive populations of P. clarkii. The population size varied discretely over the year with variable but low growth rate, indicating that the population is already established which introduce a notable threat to native species. The continuous removal of specimens proved to be inefficient since the growth rate was higher after the removal. One intensive removal event might be more effective than a continuous moderate removal as the one applied in this study.     

Sorption, degradation, and leaching of tebuthiuron and diuron in soil columns

A study in small outdoor lysimeters was carried out to determine the leaching of the herbicides tebuthiuron and diuron in different soil types, using undisturbed soil columns. Soil sorption and degradation for both herbicides were also studied in the laboratory. The multi-layered AF (Attenuation Factor) model was evaluated for predicting the herbicides leaching in undisturbed soil columns. Tebuthiuron leached in greater amounts than diuron in both soils. Sorption was well represented by linear and Freundlich equations, however parameters from the linear equations were used in the AF model. In general, both herbicides presented very low sorption, with diuron presenting lower values of sorption coefficient than tebuthiuron in the two soils. Chromatographic data indicated rapid late degradation of diuron and tebuthiuron in both soil types at two different depths. Simple exponential equation was not able to represent degradation, thus a bi-exponential equation was used, and some model adjusting was needed. Average measured amounts of each herbicide were compared with amounts predicted by the multi-layered-soil AF model. The AF model was able to predict leaching amounts in the sandy soil, especially for diuron, however it did not perform well in the clayey soil.